Top 3 Tips to Recover from Burnout
We hear about burnout all the time, but what is it? Burnout is a state of chronic, unmanaged stress that can cause both emotional and physical exhaustion, and it often results in depression, anxiety, and/or difficulties with concentration. There are several signs of burnout including detaching yourself from others, dreading things you once enjoyed, low motivation, feelings of anger/irritability, constant feelings of overwhelm, headaches, muscle tension, and changes in sleep.
Burnout can happen in all areas of life even though we typically associate burnout with a job. Life gets busy, and we forget to take a step back and rest. The good news is there are things that we can do to recover from burnout. It’s very important to focus on your own self-care and prioritize rest, and if possible, reduce some of your responsibilities by creating work/life boundaries. Let’s explore these options a little further.
Participate in self-care
A lot of us get lost in the daily shuffle, and we forget to take care of ourselves. Self-care is beneficial for both our mental and physical wellbeing. It can be helpful to schedule self-care time into your day until it becomes a habit; it can be as little as 5-10 minutes per day. Some examples of self-care practices are:
utilizing your supports
utilizing coping skills to reduce stress
stretching before bed to release tension in your body
going outside
doing something that brings you joy
participating in a hobby
doing something during the day without multitasking at the same time
journaling
exercising
Prioritize rest
Rest is fuel for our minds and bodies. Getting an adequate amount of rest allows our bodies to repair cells, helps improve our overall mood, lowers stress hormones, and boosts our immunity. Ways to implement rest might include:
taking short breaks during the day
taking breaks from screens and social media
delegating tasks to others within your home
sleeping 7-9 hours every night
Create work/life boundaries
Work/life boundaries allow us to keep our work and personal lives separate. We deserve time outside of work to recharge. Some of the things that can help us create better work/life boundaries include:
saying no or not right now to extra tasks
turning off work notifications on your phone after-hours
taking time off from work
Personal reflection
I have struggled with burnout several times throughout my life; some of those times have been during my career as a therapist. Within helping professions, it becomes quite easy to forget about yourself and place your sole focus on others. I quickly learned that we truly cannot pour from an empty cup; we must pour into ourselves to then pour into others. To recover from burnout, I had to make major life changes and relearn how to prioritize my own well-being. I still have times when I must remind myself to rest and focus on my own self-care needs.
You’re on your way to healing
You do not have to handle it alone.
We can help you figure out what’s causing you to feel burned out and find healthy ways to cope. It’s important to remember that taking care of yourself isn’t selfish; it’s a necessary part of everyday life. Come see us at Two Roads for support whenever you need to.
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About Two Roads Wellness Clinic®
Two Roads Wellness Clinic® is an integrative wellness clinic. We truly believe in whole-person wellness and see more than just a list of symptoms.
At Two Roads Wellness Clinic®, we want you to experience the difference of personalized health care. We’re an integrative health clinic offering a vast array of services including, mental health treatments such as EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), family therapy, medication management, primary care, integrative nutritional support, personalized health reports and precision medicine with DNA testing, weight management program, life coaching, physical therapy, infrared sauna services, community education and outreach, and more.
The Two Roads Wellness Clinic® team of therapists, medical and nutrition staff, life coaches, physical therapists, and emotional support animals are ready to help you find an integrated approach to your wellness. To schedule an appointment, visit our contact page to get started at one of our convenient locations in Champaign, Danville, Mahomet or Covington, or learn more about Online Therapy and Medical Sessions.
Like the Robert Frost poem our name is based on, we want to help you find the path that makes a difference in YOUR life.
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by.
And that has made all the difference.”Robert Frost, “The Road Not Taken”
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